Editor's Note: This is the first in a series of Sunday articles highlighting October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

EPPING — "I didn't have to, but I chose to have both breasts removed," said Dawnalee Holt, 45, of Epping, "I wanted zero chance of it coming back on the other side."

Dawnalee had breast cancer in just one breast, but insisted on a bilateral mastectomy—the removal of both breasts.

A self-proclaimed believer in family, Santa Claus, and a cure for breast cancer, she says that despite the shattering diagnosis, nothing has changed in her life. She says all this while hugging and welcoming an unknown Foster's employee into her home with coffee and pumpkin bread waiting.

Diagnosed just over a year ago, Dawnalee underwent a mastectomy, nearly six weeks of radiation treatments five times per week followed by chemotherapy treatments. Still, her love of life and peace of mind are far beyond others would expect.

After the mastectomy, expander implants were put into Dawnalee's chest to expand the cavity and prepare for permanent, more natural, silicone implants. After a short time, one of the expanders burst inside her andleft her chest lopsided for several weeks.

"I've never been very into — (points to her chest) — you know? But I had to strategically dress, and it does something to your head," she admits, "Some women I know wear a one-sided, padded bra, but I needed to be back to normal."

After her silicone implants were put into place, Dawnalee jokes her chest looks better than it did before and so, she says, "there's a reward at the end of the fight."

"But, the biggest thing was my eyelashes," she said of losing all hair during chemotherapy, "The dirt, the dust, the pollen (got in) my eyes. They were red for weeks and I didn't want to go to (my sons') soccer and basketball games looking sick. I didn't want to scare the kids."

According to Dawnalee, her sons, Spencer, 15, Parker, 12, and Tayler, 9, dealt with her sickness with incredible strength, maintaining "outstanding" grades and athleticism.

"It's such a devastating, awful word, cancer," she said, "How were my boys going to take that? What does it mean?"

To their credit, both Dawnalee and her husband claim nothing changed within their family since the breast cancer diagnosis and throughout treatments. Beginning with teamwork and muscling through tough times are what their family does best, they said.

"I would try to ask (my sons) questions when I had them in the car one-on-one," said Dawnalee's husband, Richie Holt, while finding comfort in petting the family dog, Braken, "But, they were great — or she already covered the bases."

Saying the married couple of 17 years have three healthy boys now takes on a whole different meaning to Richie. He says he now realizes how lucky they are. Richie admits to not having to be as strong as he thought for Dawnalee, and insists she is the strength and core of their family.

"Not a day goes by that I don't worry about her health," Richie says, "but she has always been the guiding light of our family."

Showing no fear, Dawnalee even shaved her head before she began to lose her hair.

According to Richie, while checking out the inventory at a wig store, she told the employee to "just shave it."

"The hair was no big deal, I wore wigs it was fine — I had this long haired one, it was kind of fun," says Dawnalee noting she and the children at her in-home child care center played dress up with her wigs.

She and Richie say they could have never made it through the past year without Dawnalee's best friends Julie and Debbie, and her sister Tiffini and brother-in-law Todd. From setting up a donation fund through Citizen's Bank, to stocking two freezers full of food for the family, Dawnalee's support system had her back. While in the hospital, Julie and Debbie even presented her with a collaborative glass mosaicwhich Dawnalee's biggest fans all contributed to.

"They contacted prior kids I watched as toddlers, who are now like 17-years-old," says Dawnalee, "They even got some of my high school girlfriends to make a piece."

The artwork hangs by red ribbon on the wall of the Holts' family room, proudly displaying many memories not to be forgotten.

Ever-present peacefulness and enthusiasm fills the Holt household, with blocks spelling out the word "believe" on a bookshelf in the living room. Three boys giggle in the kitchen while Dawnalee and Richard eagerly answer question after question with hopefulness enough for thousands of breast cancer patients.

While son, Spencer, sprawls out on a plush living room chair next to his mom, Dawnalee says she can't get enough of her family. Spencer nods as she notes it's the quality time spent together that makes them so strong.

"I've been extremely fortunate with friends and family and a husband who totally understands," says Dawnalee, "You have to live life, and move on, and enjoy every moment. Life is what you make it, and mine's pretty good."

To get a dose of Dawnalee's positivity and enthusiasm she encourages anyone who needs inspiration or has a story to share to email her at thekidsspot@comcast.net.